Fail, flip, fix, feed
Impact on engagement and learning outcomes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22165649 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Richard Conrardy (Heidelberg University), Christian Spannagel (Heidelberg University), Sabou Rani Stocker (University of St.Gallen) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-08 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2504-284X • E-ISSN: 2504-284X |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/feduc.2026.1743287 |
| OpenAlex | W7160529192 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 45 |
Background Flipped classrooms and productive failure foster active learning by reversing the traditional sequence of instruction and problem-solving. Despite strong evidence for each approach in secondary mathematics, their combined implementation remains untested. Aims Building on a previous framework (fail, flip, fix, feed), this study evaluates two variants that differ in whether collaboration occurred during problem solving or instruction, assessing their effects on learning and engagement. Sample The sample consisted of 221 students (ages 12–16) from 12 secondary school classes in Switzerland. Methods The study is based on a randomized control group design with two performance and four engagement measurements. Both test batteries are commonly used in productive failure research. Results Learning outcomes were statistically equivalent across both conditions after the first two phases (TOST; equivalence bounds ±0.5 SD). After the full intervention, three-sided equivalence testing yielded inconclusive results, with no reliable performance differences between conditions. Engagement levels did not differ between conditions activities, p = .449. Engagement predicted performance on both posttests, accounting for up to 18% of the variance: β = 0.760, p = .003 on Day 1, and β = 0.860, p = .001 on Day 2. Mental effort showed no reliable effect on performance: β std. = −0.039, p = .782. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for learning designs that foster student self-reported engagement. However, contrary to the original goals of flipped classroom approaches, the presence and guidance of the teacher did not result in higher student engagement compared to independent study time. The results further suggest that short-term outcomes in 4F-type designs may not be strongly determined by the phase placement of collaboration alone
Learning design · Reversing · Student engagement · Innovative Teaching Methods · Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques · Science Education and Pedagogy
Measuring student engagement in technology-mediated learning
Development of an instrument for measuring different types of cognitive load
Training strategies for attaining transfer of problem-solving skill in statistics
The flipped classroom
Toward a set of design principles for mathematics flipped classrooms
Variability of worked examples and transfer of geometrical problem-solving skills
First principles of instruction
Knowing what you don't know makes failure productive
Productive Failure in Learning Math
Cognitive Load Theory and the Format of Instruction
The Flipped Classroom
Designing for Productive Failure
Professional competence of teachers
Productive Failure
Motivation and cognitive load in the flipped classroom
Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1
School Engagement
Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design
Fail, flip, fix, and feed – Rethinking flipped learning
Self-regulated learning support in flipped learning videos enhances learning outcomes
When Problem Solving Followed by Instruction Works
To Flip or Not to Flip? A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Flipped Learning in Higher Education
When failure fails to be productive
The effect of contrasting cases during problem solving prior to and after instruction
Do students learn more from failing alone or in groups? Insights into the effects of collaborative versus individual problem solving in productive failure
Equivalence Tests
The Power of Feedback
The Challenges of Defining and Measuring Student Engagement in Science
More homework improve mathematics achievement? Differential effects of homework time on different facets of students' mathematics achievement
| Highly cited | No |
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